TOP : JACK PATTON / SHUTTERSTOCK . COM ; RIGHT : DDIE J . RODRIQUEZ / SHUTTERSTOCK . COM

As the former home of the famous Ringling Brothers , Baraboo , WI has a unique connection to the big top . In fact , The Greatest Show on Earth ’ s influence can be felt so strongly that the tiny town has been dubbed “ Circus City ,” and Baraboo continues to celebrate its quirky history today . However , with its ties to Al Capone , cryptid creatures and active hauntings , it ’ s fair to say an alarming abundance of clowns isn ’ t the only odd thing this region has going for it . Purveyors of the strange can investigate hairraising tales for themselves when they visit famously spooky spots like the Old Baraboo

Inn , the aptly named Devil ’ s Lake State Park and AL . Ringling Mansion .

Speaking of Devil ’ s Lake , travelers can spot something much less elusive than Thunderbirds and lake monsters within the park ’ s rolling hills each fall : a kaleidoscope of colors in the form of shade-shifting treetops and giant stone boulders . For some of the best views , parkgoers can conquer the East Bluff Trail , a three-mile stretch leading to incredible natural formations like Devil ’ s Doorway and Balanced Rock . Plus , at 500 ft , the trail ’ s highest points offer amazing views of the landscape below .

Fall foliage at Devil ’ s Lake State Park .

The AL . Ringling Theater in downtown Baraboo .

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